Who would know more about the best espresso machines on the market than the staff at Whole Latte Love?
Basically nobody, that’s who.
So if you’re looking for intel on which espresso maker you should be considering as a gift this year, you’ve come to the right place.
I spent last week asking around the office about which espresso machine folks liked best—here’s what I found out.
Todd—Crem One Profiler
Todd has been an expert in all things espresso for over two decades at this point. He knows how espresso machines work and how to put them to good use too (just check out his video on how to steam milk properly if you don’t believe me).
The point is, Todd knows his stuff, so when he tells you a machine is great, listen.
What’s so great about the Crem One Profiler? “It’s the most advanced dual-boiler machine we sell,” Todd tells me, “packed with features that you usually see in machines twice its price.”
Highlights of the Crem One Profiler:
- Near-silent DC powered rotary pump.
- Programmable shots based on volume dispensed (not time) for perfect, repeatable extractions every time.
$2,999.99
Kristin—Jura Z10
Marketing manager Kristin loves a latte as much as the next gal, but she’s not particularly interested in weighing grounds or timing shots to ensure she gets the perfect extraction for her specialty coffees. (Plus, I’ve seen Kristin’s work calendar—she wouldn’t have time to do all that even if she wanted to.)
Kristin wants—no, she needs—a machine that’s going to prepare her delicious drinks quickly and easily.
Which is why she’s fallen in love with the Jura Z10. This thing does it all, folks: it makes basically every drink you could imagine ordering at a coffee shop—including cold beverages. It froths milk perfectly, plus automatically adjusts the bars of pressure and brew temperature depending on the drink you’ve requested.
“My favorite part is the cold brew feature,” Kristin tells me. “It’s so good I drink it all year round.”
Highlights of the Jura Z10:
- The built-in grinder adjusts grind settings automatically based on what kind of coffee you put in it.
- Cold Extraction Process makes actual cold brew (as opposed to watering down hot coffee).
$3,999.00
Zach—ECM Synchronika AMG Edition
Zach is a literal coffee pro. Meaning, he’s not only worked at coffee shops, but owned them. Now he’s our in-house commercial consultant and resident latte art expert.
Needless to say, he’s used a lot of espresso machines in his time and, as he puts it, “nothing compares to the ECM Synchronika” and the AMG Edition is “about as perfect a dual-boiler as you could hope to see.”
The Synchronika offers “best in class milk texture” and basically the highest degree of temperature and pressure precision available at home.
As someone who cares almost as much about foam quality as espresso quality, Zach didn’t even have to think when I asked what his favorite machine was: “there’s simply no going up from here.”
Highlights of the ECM Synchronika AMG Edition:
- Top notch build quality.
- Carbon-fiber portafilter and tamper handles.
- Best in class brewing and steaming performance.
- AMG auto inspired aesthetic.
$3,799.00
Erika—Gaggia Accademia
Social media expert Erika enjoys working on her barista skills, but sometimes she just needs a delicious latte quickly. That’s why the Gaggia Accademia is her favorite machine.
“When I’m in the mood to practice foaming milk, I can use the professional-grade steam wand to do just that,” but when she wants to try something new, the highly-customizable pre-programmed one-touch drink menu is the perfect way to experiment without sacrificing quality.
“I also love the design of the Accademia,” she says. “It’s sleek, shiny, and modern, which fits in great with my kitchen’s aesthetic.”
Highlights of the Gaggia Accademia:
- Colorful, easy-to-use touchscreen drink menu
- Highly customizable drink options
- Option to steam milk manually
$1,949.00
Andrew—Profitec Pro 500 PID
As a dedicated precision brewer, tech director Andrew understands the importance of being able to manually control everything from brew temperature to pressure to flow rate to match the specific coffee and grind size he’s working with.
After using dozens of different machines at home, the one that stands out above the rest for Andrew is the Profitec Pro 500 PID. “It’s got an incredible fit and finish,” he tells me. “Profitec has done beautiful work on this machine. The build quality is just out of this world.”
And he’s not wrong—the Pro 500 PID was designed to compete with machines that cost $1,000 more, and it does. From the external PID controller and pressure gauges to the optional flow-control to pre-infuse your extractions, there’s literally nothing this machine can’t do.
Highlights of the Profitec Pro 500 PID:
- Best in class temperature stability and control.
- Superb build quality.
$1,949.00
Nick—Bezzera BZ13
Sales manager Nick probably knows more about the technical specifications of espresso machines than anyone else alive. He’s also an avid brewer himself.
When I asked him what his favorite machine was, value was his primary consideration. “The Bezzera BZ13 has incredible steam power, a shot timer, a PID temperature controller, and it heats up in just 10 minutes,” all at a price point hundreds of dollars below comparable machines.
“The value here is just unbelievable. The quality and features you get are unheard of at this price point.” The BZ13 comes in 3 different housing options, plus can be customized with 5 different wood accents, so it's aesthetically versatile too.
Highlights of the Bezzera BZ13:
- Commercial-rated functionality at an incredible price.
- Shot timer, PID controls, bottomless portafilter out of the box.
- Aesthetic variety
- Whole Latte Love exclusive (literally can’t get it elsewhere)
The Bezzera BZ13 PM is a NSF and ETL-certified PID heat-exchanger espresso machine with incredibly fast heat-up times, phenomenal temperature stability, and rock-solid durability thanks to Bezzera’s in-house manufacturing team.
$1,549.00
Find What’s Perfect—for You
When it comes to the perfect espresso machine, everyone wants something different. For the espresso-focused, a separate steam boiler may not be important. If you drink a lot of lattes, however, it’s a must.
If you’re still not sure which machine is best for you, we can help! Give us a ring at (585) 924–7170, option 1 and our expert sales staff can help you narrow the field. Even better, schedule a coffee cast for live, one-on-one product demonstrations of any machine you might be considering!